1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to liner retainers for holding a liner in a container. More particularly, this invention relates to such liner retainers which rely upon the elasticity of the retainer to hold the liner in the container.
2. Previous Art
Garbage containers have been lined with plastic liners such as thin film plastic garbage bags for many years. The liners protect the interior of the container, ensure removal of all the contents (e.g. waste), and keep the interior of the container relatively clean and odor-free. Liner retainers hold the liners in the container such as while the container is being filled with waste or being emptied.
Typical liners have a top having an open end and a bottom. The liner inserts into the garbage container. The top of the liner opens and folds over the mouth of the garbage container. The bottom of the liner hangs within the garbage container. The container receives waste or other materials which enter the open top of the liner.
When the liner is full, the container may be tipped to empty the contents of the container. Alternatively, the liner may be completely removed and thrown out. During removal of the liner, the edges of the open end of the liner are gathered together. The edges are tied or otherwise connected to close the liner. The liner and its contents are lifted from the container and discarded. A new liner replaces the discarded liner.
Liners often have a tendency to detach from the mouth of the container, leaving a space between the mouth of the container and the liner. Garbage and other waste may fall through the space and remain hidden in the bottom of the container. Hidden garbage such as food waste causes foul odors. Such odors contaminate the container. Proper positioning of the liner in the container is desired to prevent garbage from contaminating the container.
Liners are used in trash compactor containers. When garbage is compacted, however, the compactor mechanism urges the garbage and the liner towards the bottom of the container. The force of the compactor mechanism increases the likelihood of liner movement.
The weight of compacted garbage is greater than the weight of the same volume of uncompacted garbage. The liner of a container of compacted garbage must be firmly held within the container to hold the heavier, compacted garbage.
Various ways of firmly holding a liner in a container have been developed. One example is an elastic band which stretches over the mouth of the container. The elastic band holds the liner against the mouth of the container. When the container is filled or emptied, however, the elastic band tends to roll and slide. Such movement can cause the elastic band to break free of the container and the liner to fall to the bottom of the container.
The elastic band retainer is removed from the container to facilitate removal of the liner. Often, however, the band retainer is discarded with the liner. This occurs because the when the edges of the liner are gripped and pulled upwards from the container, the elastic band rolls up and falls into the liner. When the liner is closed for disposal, the elastic band is lost.
What is desired in the art is a liner retainer which firmly holds a liner in a container. What is additionally desired is a liner retainer that is not easily thrown out when the liner or waste is removed from the container. What is additionally desired is a liner retainer which does not normally roll, slide or allow the liner to fall into the container.